8:00amI arrive at the office after getting my son sorted out for school, get everything opened up, put the kettle on and check through my emails.
8:30amWhen everybody is in, we have a team briefing, which is all about sharing ideas and making sure we are on track to meet our budgets. Each consultant gives an update on their progress and we talk about the good candidates we’ve seen, what positions they might be suitable for and any clients we’re planning to visit.
10:00amCash flow is really important in this business, so I spend some time every day checking what’s come in and gone out of the bank account. Keeping on top of the finances is something I pride myself on and I believe it has been one of the key reasons for the success of my business so far.
11:00amI’m supporting one of my consultants with a client meeting today. We negotiate and agree commercial terms and also spend some time finding out more about his business plan and exploring potential joint opportunities.
12:00pmEvery day is fast-paced in the office and already there’s lots to catch up on, such as candidate queries regarding holiday pay, wages queries, requests for information from Head Office to support day-to-day operations and loads of other emails, so lunch is a quick sandwich at my desk, followed by a friendly chat with the team to see how they’re getting on.
2:00pmAt the moment, I’m spending quite a bit of time working on potential contracts and tenders for large, blue-chip companies to further enhance the client database we have in Swindon. I find a quiet corner where I can spend time fully researching the opportunities.
4:30pmI always ask consultants to fill in a daily activity sheet. I find it keeps me up to date with what’s been happening and allows me to check our progress against targets. I spend some time analysing the overall picture, if we’re on track – great, if not, we’ll look at different ways of hitting the numbers.
5.30pmTime to close up for the day. I have a general rule that we all go home at 5.30pm, and this applies to me as well; I think it’s important that we all have the chance to wind down and relax after a busy day. Now that the business is established and I have my team around me, I don’t have to put in the same long hours, so it’s off to pick my son up from school and go home, where there’s a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc chilling in the fridge.